Extension key chain



Nov. 28, 1950 c. A. ANDERSON 2,531,335

EXTENSION KEY CHAIN Filed July 2, 1947 0 4% a mmm e Patented Nov. 28,1950 2,531,335 EXTENSION KEY CHAIN Carl A. Anderson, Cranston, B. L,.assignor to Anson Incorporated,

Island corporation of Rhode Application July 2, 1947, Serial No. 758,611

2 Claims. (Cl. 24-116) The present invention relates to the jewelry art,and has particular reference to .an improved construction .for anextension key chain.

I of metal and includes a spring hook l and a de- The principal objectof the invention is to pro- I vide a simple and eilective manuallycontrolled 1 look member for selectively holding the key chain in normalor in extended position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an extension key chainlock member with concealed key gripping parts.

Still another object is to provide an extension key chain lock elementwith a strongly resilient lock member.

An additional object of the invention is to construct an extension keychain lock element of stamped metal parts.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, theinvention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosedin the detailed description following, in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, and more specifically defined in the claimsappended thereto.

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing. the key chain in partially extendedposition;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the lock member on the line 22 ofFig. l, the parts being in chain locking position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the parts being in chain releaseposition;

Fig. 4 is a centra1 horizontal section through the lock member on theline 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an upper end view of the lock member;

Fig. 6 is a view showing the lower end thereof;

Figs. '7 and 8 are respectively normal and reversed perspective view ofthe resilient lock element;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a novel spring insert; and f Fig. 10 isa modified construction for the resilient lock element.

It has been found desirable to provide an extension key chain with amanually actuatable lock member for selectively engaging the chain toobtain a desired length, the parts being resiliently urged to lockingposition and being made of stamped metal, and the chain grippingelements being concealed.

Referring to the drawings; which illustrate an extension key chainembodying the invention, the key chain it] includes a belt or trouserclip I I, an extendible flexible chain I2, a manually operable lockmember l3, and a key retainer M of standard type. jIhe .belt clip isprejerabl made pending ring or the like It through which the chain l2may freely pass.

The lock member I3 is preferably formed of stamped out sheet metalstock, and includes a shell 11 havinga bottom plate 18, sides I9, 20, a

' lower end 2!. and an upper end 22, the upper end having a chainpassage opening 23 adjacent one side I9 and an eye 24 adjacent the otherside 253. Seated in the shell is a lock element 25 stamped of resilientmetal, see Figs. '7, .8, and having a top plate .25, a front tongue 27provided with a chain passage opening 28, a rear connector Ijuxtaposition to the lock member tongue opening 28,v the two openingsbeing normally slightly out of vertical alignment, as shown in Fig. 2,but becoming aligned when the top plate 26 is manually pressed down, asshown in Fig. 3. Although l. have disclosed a shell having a bottomplate, it

is obvious that the shell may be shaped as a rim or side wall shell,with the lock member bottom plate enlarged and held therein in a manneranalogous to the holding of the lock member top plate.

The chain [2 has one end 33 secured to the eye 24 of the lock membershell, and passes through the ring l6 and through the shell opening 23,across the lock member as shown in Fig. 4, and then through the twojuxtaposed openings 28, 32, the other end 34 of the chain being securedto a ring or eye 35 provided in the key retainer [4.

When it is desired to change the length of the chain, the lock member ismanually squeezed,

. whereupon the lock element top plate lowers to align the two openingsat the lower end of the lock member, and the chain is readily lengthenedand the lower edge d6 of the opening 28 cooperates with the upper edge31 of the opening 32 to grip the chain between adjacent links, see

Fig. 2, whereby the chainremains in its length adjusted position. M

' The lock element 25 normally has ample 3 strength and resilience forlong use, but it may be strengthened when made of precious orsemiprecious metal, by inserting a steel spring element 38, see Fig. 9,which has a top plate 39, a bottom plate 40, and a reduced end connector4|, whereby the spring element 38 may be inserted to nest within thelock element, with the end connector 4| contiguous the connector support29, to provide increased resilience.

If preferred, a coil spring arrangement such as illustratively shown inFig. 10, may be utilized, the bottom plate 42 of the modified lockmember. 43 having a vertical lug 44' struck up from the stock of thebottom plate for seating a coil spring 45 which extends upwardly toengage the lower surface of the top plate 46 of the lock element,whereby manual pressure onthe top plate 46 lowers the front tongue 41 ofthe lock element.

an upper end and a lower end, said upper end having a chain securingpart and a chain passage opening, and said lower end having a chainpassage opening, and a lock member in said shell of resilient materialand having a top plate positioned beneath the open top of the shell, abottom plate, and a connector for said plates, said ftop plate having aforward downwardly extending tongue in juxtaposition to said shell lowerend, said forward tongue having a chain passage opening normallydisplaced from alignment with the shell lower end chain passage opening,and manually movable by pressure on said top plate to bring said forwardtongue and lower end chain openings in alignment.

2. In an extension chain device, a lock member comprising a shell havingan open top, sides, an

against pressure of the coil spring 45 to align its" front chain opening48 with the lower end chain opening of its associated shell. Themodified lock member has a reduced end connector 49 similar to thereduced end connector support 29 of Figs. 7 and 8.

The improved extension key chain lock member is thus of the shell or boxtype, with the chain gripping parts enclosed and concealed, andpossesses substantial resilience and gripping strength, which may beincreased, if desired, by including additional spring elements. Thenovel lock member may be utilized for other extension chainarrangements, such as pendants, neck chains, and the like, as itprovides a firm lock and may be readily ornamented as desired.

Although I have described specific constructional forms for the lockmember, it is obvious that changes in the shape, size and arrangement ofthe parts, and in the materials used, may be made to provide differentextension key chain arrangements and designs, without departing from thespirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an extension chain device, a lock member comprising a shell havingan open top, sides,

upper end and a lower end, said upper end having a chain securing partand a chain passage opening, and said lower end having a chain passageopening, and a lock member-in said shell having a top plate positionedbeneath the open top of the shell, a bottom plate, and a connector forsaid plates, said top plate having a forward downwardly extending tonguein juxtaposition to said shell lower end, saidtongue having a chainpassage opening, said top plate being resiliently urged away from saidbottom plate to normally displace the tongue opening from the shelllower end opening, and being manually movable to bring the tongueopeningand the shell lower end opening in alignment.

- CARL A. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,229,855 Alexander L June12,1917 1,879,991 Pratt Sept. 27, 1932 2,159,223 Okun May 23, 1939 452,291,089 Okun July 28, 1942

